Procedures for the fixation and stabilization of bones commonly employ nails inserted into the medullary canal. Such procedures often use metallic implants that rely on cross-locking elements situated on proximal and distal ends of the nails. The cross-locking elements are positioned on proximal and distal ends of the nails to avoid stress risers that might result if they were located along a middle portion thereof. This concept, although effective in long bones (e.g., the femur, the tibia) does not provide adequate torsional stability when positioned in smaller bones (e.g., the ulna, the radius). Alternate designs employed in the art rely on a frictional engagement between the nail and the intramedullary canal to provide stability. However, the frictional force relies heavily on a fit between the nail and the intramedullary canal as well as a rigidity of the bone itself and thus does not provide a consistent frictional engagement due to variations in human anatomy.
Furthermore, implantation of the nails in areas of the body that are subjected to increased cantilever being forces (e.g., lateral plating of the proximal humerus) often results in the nail losing bony purchase in osteoporotic bone. Presently available bone fixation devices employ multiple screws that are inserted at various angles into the bone to increase a surface contact area between the bone fixation device and the bone. However, if a bone fixation device needs to be repositioned within the bone, the voids created by the screws increase the susceptibility of the bone to further fracture. Furthermore, the placement of multiple screws in the bone proves to be challenging in that it is difficult to ensure proper anatomical fixation prior to the insertion of locking screws into the bone fixation device.